Sleepers

6 Hole; 2005

Find it at:

The Phife Dawg Complex: The inability for a solo artist to repeat the tremendous success of a previous group or collective. Often marked by several substandard breakout attempts. Results in career paralysis, droves of guest appearances, and recurring bouts of the "coulda's." Correlates with indie rock's "ex members of" syndrome. Notable subjects include: L.A. Sunshine and DJ Easy Lee, Lonzo from World Class Wreckin' Cru, everyone in Boogie Down Productions except KRS and Biz, Cormega and AZ.

It's more than a trope. If you're in a trio and two of the members blow up, you're done. Just retire and practice your storytelling for the kids. So for Big Pooh of N.C. heads Little Brother, the odds certainly don't look promising. 9th Wonder dropped a career-changing (albeit mediocre) track on The Black Album and got nods for the Destiny's Child LP. Phonte caught a deal with BBE for Foreign Exchange's phenomenal Connected. All Pooh got is KC Royal Desi Relaford to back his release's label 6 Hole. Uh oh.

(Un)fortunately, Sleepers performs best as an imitation. Pooh and Phonte's lyrical handshakes feed the snaps and pops of "Every Block" with each of 9th's patent-pending staccatos. O-Dash (or is it Joe Scudda?) and Darien Brockington's talents help transform "My Mind" into a mournful, lovelorn whistler. But both cuts only mimic the best moments of Little Brother and the endless sundry of Justus League collabos.

So what to do with Big Pooh? Sleepers is solid and avoids all the totemic markings of the subpar "other dude." And certainly Pooh is cognizant of his critics' free-rider accusations: "You say 'Pooh, the weak nigga'/ I don't care", he jests. But Pooh lacks Phonte's sense of humor and profound wit. Sleepers gives Pooh a headstart, but his sophomore release needs to sparkle if he's to avoid a seat next to Phife on the sidelines.